Pages

Saturday, 11 April 2015

Protest against rape in Karbi Anglong by Students and Several women organisations

In another shocking incident, it has
been reported that on 6th April, 6 Indian Army jawans raped 3 women in Khorsim
Athor village in Anjukpani in Assam. It has been reported that the jawans on
patrol reached the village and allegedly took a 13-year-old to the neighboring
jungle. The girl's mother and another relative later reached the site to rescue
her. According to reports, the jawans then raped the other two women as well.

Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign
(SSSC), a nation-wide campaign in support of Irom Sharmila and against the
draconian Armed Forced Special Powers Act, condemns this incident and demands a
fair investigation and justice.

This incident has not been the first
incident and is also not an aberration. Sexual Violence by army in AFSPA areas
has been quite widespread. There have been many incidents of brutal mass-rapes
that have been reported in past and justice still eludes the victims. This has
been proved not only by human rights' organisations but also by
government-appointed committees.

SSSC believes that this continued ignorance and failure to grant justice in a
country that claims to be determined for women equality and dignity is a
contradiction. Sexual Violence and rape by anyone including the army personnels
should be treated in the same way. SSSC demands to follow the recommendation
of Justice Verma to bring cases of rape in AFSPA areas under the purview of
ordinary criminal law.

However, as this was not an
aberration. The permanent solution remains to be the repeal of AFSPA. Unless
and until, AFSPA is repealed, the scope for cruelties will remain. However,
instead of repealing the law as promised by the current ruling government, it
was recently reported that AFSPA has also been extended to Arunachal Pradesh.
SSSC condemns this. SSSC believes that the Government must know that violence
can never be the solution. AFSPA has proved to be a failed strategy to curb
insurgency and unite the nation. Instead, AFSPA has only aggravated the
problem.

SSSC believes that the permanent
solution for women's dignity, justice and for the integrity of the nation is
the repeal of AFSPA.